The purpose of the article is to present the origin and history of auspicious Chinese New Year pictures, as well as to describe them. The importance of the nianhua within Chinese culture is also analyzed. The main focus of this study is the traditional auspicious Chinese New Year pictures made by woodcut printing and created before the 1930s, when modern printing technology was invented. The topic of the article is not limited to Chinese New Year pictures. In fact, it is broader and deeper than it seems. Each nianhua is but an introduction to another aspect of Chinese art and culture. The auspicious nianhua are the expression of the magical–mythological perception of the world connected to Chinese auspicious culture 吉祥文化 nianhuawénhuà. The article is divided in two sections. In the first section, the origin and history of nianhua are presented and discussed. The second section contains an analysis of the symbolic nianhua, which are connected with Chinese auspicious culture. These are well-developed pictures from the period when the art of creating nianhua was flourishing. These kinds of pictures may be a key to understanding the desires, wishes, and worldview of the Chinese people. 

The purpose of the article is to present the origin and history of auspicious Chinese New Year pictures, as well as to describe them. The importance of the nianhua within Chinese culture is also analyzed. The main focus of this study is the traditional auspicious Chinese New Year pictures made by woodcut printing and created before the 1930s, when modern printing technology was invented. The topic of the article is not limited to Chinese New Year pictures. In fact, it is broader and deeper than it seems. Each nianhua is but an introduction to another aspect of Chinese art and culture. The auspicious nianhua are the expression of the magical–mythological perception of the world connected to Chinese auspicious culture 吉祥文化 nianhuawénhuà. The article is divided in two sections. In the first section, the origin and history of nianhua are presented and discussed. The second section contains an analysis of the symbolic nianhua, which are connected with Chinese auspicious culture. These are well-developed pictures from the period when the art of creating nianhua was flourishing. These kinds of pictures may be a key to understanding the desires, wishes, and worldview of the Chinese people.